Smart receptacle having plug blade detection

Abstract

An electrical outlet is disclosed. The outlet includes a power receptacle configured to receive a plug blade and a switch. The switch has a first state when the plug blade is not present within the power receptacle, and a second state when the plug blade is present. The plug blade provides an electrically conductive path between terminals of the switch in the second state. A pulse generator circuit is configured to generate a pulsed signal having a frequency higher than a frequency of alternating current voltage power. A feedback circuit receives the pulsed signal from the pulse generator circuit and provides an output signal to a pulse detection circuit. The output signal includes a pulsed signal corresponding to the pulsed signal received from the pulse generator circuit when the switch is in the first state and a generally continuous state signal when the switch is in the second state.

1 . An outlet for providing an alternating current voltage to a power plug, the outlet comprising:
 a power receptacle configured to receive a plug blade of the power plug;   a switch having a first state when the plug blade is not present within the power receptacle, and a second state when the plug blade is present within the power receptacle, wherein the plug blade provides an electrically conductive path between terminals of the switch in the second state;   a pulse generator circuit configured to generate a pulsed signal having a frequency higher than a frequency of the alternating current voltage;   a pulse detection circuit; and   a feedback circuit configured to receive the pulsed signal from the pulse generator circuit, the feedback circuit providing an output signal to the pulse detection circuit, the output signal comprising a pulsed signal corresponding to the pulsed signal received from the pulse generator circuit when the switch is in the first state and a generally constant level signal when the switch is in the second state.   
     
     
         2 . The outlet of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback circuit comprises a logic level converter circuit providing the pulsed signal to the pulse detection circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The outlet of  claim 2 , where the logic level converter circuit comprises an optical coupler. 
     
     
         4 . The outlet of  claim 1 , wherein the pulse generator circuit comprises a microcontroller coupled to an input of the feedback circuit, and wherein the feedback circuit comprises a logic level converter circuit configured to provide the pulsed signal to the pulse detection circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The outlet of  claim 1 , wherein the pulse detection circuit comprises a microcontroller coupled to an output of the feedback circuit, and wherein the feedback circuit comprises a logic level converter circuit providing the pulsed signal to the pulse detection circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The outlet of  claim 5 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to generate an interrupt using the output signal of the feedback circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The outlet of  claim 1 , wherein the pulse detection circuit comprises a microcontroller coupled to an output of the feedback circuit, and wherein the microcontroller is configured to control execution of one or more smart outlet operations in response to a signal state with the output of the feedback circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The outlet of  claim 7 , wherein the smart outlet operations include at least one of
 providing the alternating current voltage to the power plug;   removing the alternating current voltage from the power plug;   measuring a current flow of the alternating current voltage to the power plug;   establishing a connection with a wireless network;   communicating with a wireless controller;   controlling operation of one or more further receptacles of the outlet; or   communicating with a wireless network.   
     
     
         9 . The outlet of  claim 1 , wherein the switch goes to the second state only when the plug blade is completely inserted into the power receptacle. 
     
     
         10 . The outlet of  claim 1 , wherein the pulse detection circuit comprises a microcontroller coupled to an output of the feedback circuit, the outlet further comprising a power relay circuit configured to connect the power plug to the alternating current voltage under control of the microcontroller. 
     
     
         11 . The outlet of  claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises:
 a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first and second contacts are electrically isolated from one another when the plug blade is not inserted into the power receptacle, and wherein the first and second contacts are electrically coupled through the plug blade when the plug blade is inserted into the power receptacle.   
     
     
         12 . An outlet for providing an alternating current voltage to a power plug, the outlet comprising:
 a power receptacle configured to receive a plug blade of the power plug, the power receptacle having a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first and second contacts are electrically isolated from one another when the plug blade is not inserted into the power receptacle, and wherein the first and second contacts are electrically coupled through the plug blade when the plug blade is inserted into the power receptacle;   a pulse generator circuit configured to provide a pulsed signal to an output thereof, wherein the pulsed signal has a frequency greater than a frequency of the alternating current voltage;   a pulse detection circuit configured to detect presence of a pulsed signal at an input thereof; and   a filter network configured to pass the pulsed signal from the output of the pulse generator circuit to the input of the pulse detection circuit when the first and second contacts are electrically isolated from one another, wherein the filter network is further configured to bypass the pulsed signal from the input of the pulse detection circuit when the first and second contacts are electrically connected to one another.   
     
     
         13 . The outlet of  claim 12 , wherein the filter network comprises:
 a high-pass filter electrically configured between the output of the pulse generator circuit and the input of the pulse detection circuit; and   a high-frequency bypass filter electrically configured between the second contact and the high-pass filter when the first and second contacts are electrically connected with one another.   
     
     
         14 . The outlet of  claim 12 , wherein the filter network comprises a logic level converter circuit configured to provide the pulsed signal to the pulse generator circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The outlet of  claim 14 , where the logic level converter circuit comprises one or more optical couplers. 
     
     
         16 . The outlet of  claim 14 , wherein the pulse generator circuit comprises a microcontroller electrically coupled to an input of the filter network. 
     
     
         17 . The outlet of  claim 14 , wherein the pulse detection circuit comprises a microcontroller electrically coupled to an output of the filter network. 
     
     
         18 . The outlet of  claim 12 , wherein the pulse detection circuit comprises a microcontroller coupled to an output of the filter network, and wherein the microcontroller is configured to control execution of one or more smart outlet operations based on a state of the output of the filter network. 
     
     
         19 . The outlet of  claim 18 , wherein the smart outlet operations include at least one of providing the alternating current voltage to the power plug;
 removing the alternating current voltage from the power plug;   measuring a current flow of the alternating current voltage to the power plug;   establishing a connection with a wireless network;   communicate with a wireless controller;   controlling operation of one or more further receptacles of the outlet; or   communicating with a wireless network.   
     
     
         20 . The outlet of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second contacts are electrically connected with one another only when the plug blade is completely inserted into the power receptacle. 
     
     
         21 . An outlet for providing an alternating current voltage to a power plug, the outlet comprising:
 a power receptacle configured to receive a plug blade of the power plug, the power receptacle having a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first and second contacts are displaced from one another so that the first and second contacts are electrically isolated from one another when the plug blade is not inserted into the power receptacle, and the first and second contacts are electrically connected by the plug blade when the plug blade is inserted into the power receptacle;   a microcontroller configured to generate a pulsed signal at an output thereof, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to detect a pulsed signal at an input thereof, the pulsed signal having a frequency greater than a frequency of the alternating current voltage; and   a feedback circuit, the feedback circuit including
 a high-pass filter electrically configured between the output of the microcontroller and the second contact; 
 a high-frequency bypass filter electrically configured between the first contact and ground; and 
 a logic level converter circuit electrically coupled between the high-pass filter and the input of the microcontroller. 
   
     
     
         22 . The outlet of  claim 21 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to control execution of one or more smart outlet operations based on whether pulsed signals are provided to the input of the microcontroller. 
     
     
         23 . The outlet of  claim 22 , wherein the smart outlet operations include at least one of providing the alternating current voltage to the power plug;
 removing the alternating current voltage from the power plug;   measuring a current flow of the alternating current voltage to the power plug;   establishing a connection with a wireless network;   communicate with a wireless controller;   controlling operation of one or more further receptacles of the outlet; or   communicating with a wireless network.